Cleaning implement for venetian blinds and the like



March 24, 1942. 7 M E'; CPHEE I 2,277,444

CLEANING IMPLEMENT FOR VENETIANBLINDS Ail ID THE LIKE 111- M ml/n munm 4,,

" nun 1m "m m u W I H) H H MQTgQret M P/ e' v I I" NYQFK Q I M I Atturne y v Patented Mar. 24, 1942 CLEANING IMPLEMENT FOR VENETIAN BLINDS AND THE LIKE Margaret Elizabeth McPhee, New Westminster,

British Columbia, Canada Application September 13, 1940, Serial No.

I In Canada May 20, 1940 4 Claims. (Cl. -160) This invention relates to clusters and in particular to a cleaning implement for Venetian blinds and the like. The device is also applicable with slight structural modifications as a vacuum attachment.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved article of the type whereby the bifurcated brush is adapted to straddle the slats and tape of a Venetian blind. Other uses will be immediately apparent such as for cleaning chair rungs, grill work and the like. Particularly for cleaning Venetain blinds are the improvements most noticeable. It has been found that the bifurcated brushes now in'use do not adequately clean that'portion of the slats between thetapes, and the tapes themselves, and definitely require. excess effort in altering the position of the duster for the cleaning process. This needs little consideration when a single slat is viewed but in practice a great saving in time and effort is obtained when an operator can clean all areas of the blind without removing the duster from the slat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning implement which may be attached to a suction hose so that the dust particles cleaned from the slats will be confined in the container provided.

A still further important object is to devise means whereby the dusting members are adjustable with respect to each other so that-they may be adjusted to adequately dust Venetian blinds or the like regardless of the intervening space between the slat surfaces.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a light, durable and inexpensive device of the type which contemplates a bifurcated brush in which the laterally extended arms of each bifurcation are in turn bifurcated. As a vacuum attachment the design of the dusting members is adhered to and a casing and suction pipe provided.

With the above noted and other objects in bers are supplemented by a casing for use as a vacuum attachment.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation view of the invention shown in Fig.3. I

Fig. 5 is a further modification of the vacuum attachment.

Fig. 6 illustrates the means for adjusting the dusting member. Y

Referring more in detail to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views it will be seen that thehandle illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and hereinafter designated by the numeral ID has a wire frame projecting longitudinally from the end of the handle which is formed from twisted wire strands. The frame includes two longitudinal parallel branches, as shown in Fig. 2, and extending'from each branch are oppositely extending pairs of lateral arms disposed in vertically spaced relation as shown in Fig. 1. The dusting material H is secured between the twisted strands or wire and completely covers the frame to form two main spaced brush members l2 parallel to the axis of the handle .which are bifurcated at opposite ends to form spaced brush fingers 13 disposed at right angles to the axis of the handle. Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the laterallyextending fingers l3 are formed in similar arrangement as shown in the preceding figures. In the present instance each element l3 revolves in bearings M, at the ends of the casing IS, the shaft to which the dusting material is secured being supported in the center by a brace member Hi. It may be noted here that the modification as shown is merely for the purpose of illustration and various slightly different methods could be devised that would meet the requirements of the, device. For example the dusting element illustrated in Fig. 1 would provide adequate vacuum dusting means supplemented by the casing l5 and suction pipe l1.

Reverting to the casing 15, it will be seen that it is composed of two substantially semi-cylindrical covering members l8, the ends thereof being slotted Hi, from the extremities to the near centre of the aforementioned casing. The suction pipe I! is joined by welding or other means to provide a passage for the flow of air carrying dust particles into the vacuum container.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The slats of a Venetian blind are received between the members l2, or the two major arms;

form of the invention in which the dusting memwhen the operator desires to clean the tape at either end of the-blind it is only necessary to force the tape between the fingers I I. It will readily be seen the operator is thereby enabled to clean the slats between the tape and also the tape itself without removing the device from the slat or changing the approach in any way.

Afurther modification of the dusting element (F g. 5), discloses a suction tube 20, having elongated slots 2|, and brush surface I], spaced alternately and circumferentially about the said suction tube. It is believed that a casing l5, would be necessary about the tube 20, to create a proper current of air through the said tubes. It follows the tubes would radiate from the suction pipe II, in the'same manner as the finger I3, shown in Fig. 1. 1

Means are provided, as shown in Fig. 6, whereby the members l8 may be adjusted to regulate the width of the space between the aforesaid members. The covering members [8 are adjustably attached to semi-cylindrical flanges 22 extending from each side of the suction pipe 11. When the thumb screws 23 are loosened the members l8 slide upward to the extremities of the slot 24.

The arcs formed by the upward movement bring the fingers l3 in closer relation to each other. It follows the thumb screws are tightened to retainthe said fingers in position. To provide a proper suction current the bottom portion.

or the member l8 overlaps 25 at either side of the suction pipe ll.

It is believed that the construction and advantages of the structure shown may be apparent from the foregoing paragraphs taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing without further detailed description.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed it is understood that minor changes in the details. of construction,

combination and arrangement of cooperating elements may be resorted to within the scope of whatis claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An implement for cleaning Venetian blinds,

I a tubular handle having arcual flanges diametrically opposite extending from one extremity of the said tubular handle, semi-cylindrical brush l0 casings slidably engaging each flange and adjustably secured thereto by means of thumb screws and brush elements secured to each casing.

2. An implement for cleaning Venetian blinds 15 as claimed in claim 1, in which the brush elements within the casing are bifurcated in corresponding arrangement with the bifurcated casing having brush fingers extending laterally adjacent the quarters of the said casing, substantially as 20 set forth.

3. An implement for cleaning Venetian blinds comprising a handle, a twisted wire frame composed of spaced parallel branches extending longitudinally fromsaid handle, each branch having 5 laterally extending pairs of spaced arms extending at right angles thereto in opposite directions, the arms of said branches being disposed in parallel relation and brushing material secured in the twisted wire frame throughout the extent of 30 said branches and said arms.

4. An implement for cleaning Venetion blinds comprising a handle, semi-cylindrical brush casings connected to the end of said handle in spaced parallel relation, said casings having lon-.

-i5 gitudinal slots extending from the ends thereof towards the center, and brush elements mounted in said casings along the side edges of said slots.

MARGARET ELIZABETH MCPHEE. 

